The present invention relates to a clamp for fixing a predetermined position of an electric wire which is wired in a vehicle or the like and for neatening a wiring attitude of the electric wire.
FIG. 1 shows a proposed clamp A clamp 1 includes a mount portion 5 mounted to a wire harness 3 comprising a plurality of electric wires, and a retaining portion 9 which is provided on a lower surface of the mount portion 5 for retaining the mount portion 5 to a panel 7 of a vehicle or the like which is a mating mount portion.
The retaining portion 9 includes a column 11 projecting from the mount portion 5, and a pair of engaging blade portions 15 and 15 connected to the column 11 and engaged with a engaging hole 13 of the panel 7. Each of the engaging blade portions 15 and 15 are inclined so that the engaging blade portion 15 gradually spreads outward from a tip end of the column 11 toward the mount portion 5, and the engaging blade portion 15 has resilience. The engaging blade portion 15 is provided at its tip end with an engaging step portion 17 to be engaged with an opening edge of the engaging bole 13 of the panel 7.
In the clamp 1, the mount portion 5 is prior-mounted to a predetermined position of the wire harness 3 by a tape winder 19. Then, the engaging blade portions 15 are pushed into the engaging hole 13. The engaging step portions 17 are engaged with opening edges of the engaging hole 13. In this state, the engaging step portions 17 are biased outward by resilient forces of the engaging blade portions 15 and 15, and an engaged state with respect to the engaging hole 13 is held. As a result, the predetermined position of the wire harness 3 is fixed to the panel 7 by the clamp 1 in a state in which the wire harness 3 is wired in a vehicle or the like.
In the clamp 1, when the wire harness 3 is removed from the panel 7 at the time of separated dumping or the recycling of vehicle or the like, engaging blade portion 15 of the clamp 1 is forcibly bent against its resilient force, thereby releasing the engagement between the engaging step portion 17 and the engaging hole 13 of the panel 7. The mount portion 5 is separated from the panel 7 in this state, thereby removing the wire harness 3 from the panel 7.
However, in this clamp 1, the rigidity of the engaging blade portion 15 is set high so that the engaged state between the engaging step portion 17 and the engaging hole 13 is not released by inadvertent force. Therefore, it is difficult to forcibly bend the engaging blade portion 15 against its resilient force. Thus, it takes time and labor to remove the wire harness 3 from the panel 7.
The present invention has been accomplished to solve the above problem and it is an object of the present invention to provide a clamp capable of easily removing an electric wire from a mating mount portion.
The first aspect of the present invention provides a clamp, comprising: a mount portion to be mounted to an electric wire; and a retaining portion for retaining the mount portion to a mating mount portion, the retaining portion, comprising: a rupture portion which can be ruptured; a column having a base end side connected to the mount portion through the rupture portion; and an engaging blade portion provided on a tip end of the column and engaged with an opening of the mating mount portion, wherein the rupture portion is provided along a circumferential direction of the column.
According to the first aspect, a mount portion is mounted to a predetermined position of an electric wire, engaging blade portions are engaged with engaging holes, the mount portion is retained to a mating mount portion, and the electric wire is fixed to the mating mount portion. If a rupture portion is ruptured in a state in which the electric wire is fixed to the mating mount portion, the fixed state of the electric wire to the mating mount portion can be released.
Since the rupture portion is provided on the column in the circumferential direction, when inadvertent force is applied to the electric wire in a state in which the electric wire is fixed to the mating mount portion, the inadvertent force is dispersed to the entire region of the rupture portion, and it is possible to prevent the rupture portion from being ruptured.
The second aspect of the present invention provides the clamp according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the rupture portion is formed by a plurality of thin portions, having predetermined pitches from one another.
According to the second aspect, the rupture portion of the column is formed by a plurality of thin portions provided along the circumferential direction. Therefore, it is possible to rupture the rupture portion more easily in a state in which the electric wire is fixed to the mating mount portion.
The third aspect of the present invention provides the clamp according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the base end side of the column is formed into a columnar shape.
According to the third aspect, the base end side of the column is formed into a columnar shape. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably disperse the inadvertent force applied to the electric wire in the fixed state of the electric wire to the mating mount portion.
The fourth aspect of the present invention provides the clamp according to the first aspect of the present invention, further comprising; an abutting portion provided on the column, wherein the abutting portion abuts against the mating mount portion in a state in which the mount portion is engaged with the mating mount portion.
According to the fourth aspect, the abutting portion is abutted against the mating mount portion in addition to the engagement of the engaging blade portion with the engaging hole in the state in which the electric wire is fixed to the mating mount portion. Therefore, the retaining portion is retained to the mating mount portion reliably.
The fifth aspect of the present invention provides the clamp according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, wherein the abutting portion is formed by an annular plate member, and projected outward in the circumferential direction of the column.
According to the fifth aspect, the abutting portion is formed into the annular plate member and thus, the inadvertent force applied to the column can be dispersed more reliably in a state in which the electric wire is fixed to the mating mount portion.
The sixth aspect of the present invention provides the clamp according to the first aspect of the present invention, further comprising; a projecting portion provided at end of the mounting portion in longitudinal direction.
According to the sixth aspect, the end of the mount portion in the longitudinal direction is provided with the projecting portion. With this, when the electric wire is removed from the mating connector, if the mount portion is turned around the projecting portion, the rupture portion can be ruptured easily.
The seventh aspect of the present invention provides the clamp according to the first aspect of the present invention, further comprising; a through hole provided on the mount portion, wherein the base end side is accommodated in the through hole.
According to the seventh aspect, since the base end side of the column is accommodated in the through hole of the mount portion, the clamp can be reduced in size correspondingly.
The eighth aspect of the present invention provides the clamp according to the first aspect of the present invention, further comprising; an engaging step portion provided at a tip end of the engaging blade portion, wherein the engaging step is engaged with an opening edge of the opening.
According to the eighth aspect, since the engaging step portion which engages with the opening edge is provided, the engaging blade portion is engaged with the opening reliably.